Hellhounds

A Hellhound, or Black Dog , is a supernatural demonic dog, found in folklore. A wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon.

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Exactly how the Hellhound came to be is lost to the annals of folklore and legend. Innumerable sightings and encounters have been reported and documented, but they are too lengthy to list right at this moment. This much, however, is known: the Hellhound is the demonic servant of the Evil One, manifesting himself on this plane of existence to do Satan’s bidding.

The Hellhound roams the English countryside, stalking lonely roads at night. He hunts for travelers, intending the deliver their souls to his dark master. While he has never actually harmed anyone, eyewitnesses are usually never the same again afterwards. He usually disappears completely after an encounter. He moves in utter silence, leaving no prints behind whatsoever. Travelers have sworn to feel the spirit’s chilling breath on the backs of their necks, and the Hellhound’s eerie howls rise above the winds on stormy nights, sending a terrifying chill through the bodies of those who hear it. It is said that the Hellhound is harmless as long as he is left alone.

The Hellhound frequents the woods, country areas, and coastlines of England. He has been known to inhabit graveyards, marshes, and the hills surrounding villages, but the Hellhound especially inhabits lonely roads, crossroads, ancient ruins, and bridges (the places representing the transitional phases in human life). He is said to guard the tombs of those who died tragically, and to keep watch over places where treasure is said to be hidden.

The Hellhound is described as a huge demonic dog, with shaggy fur as black as the night. He is larger than most large dogs, to the point where he is frequently said to be the size of a calf (standing at four feet at the shoulders). The Hellhound’s most frightening features are his glowing, fiery red eyes (although from time to time, the eyes are said to be yellow or green. Sometimes, he is said to have only one eye. He is lean and muscular, his padded feet ending in sharp, black claws. Occasionally, the hellhound is headless, yet two red orbs float right where the spirit’s eyes should be, much to the horror of eyewitnesses. He has been described as wearing a collar of chains, which rattle loudly as the spirit walks along.

The Hellhound possesses many supernatural abilities, as a result of his demonic origins. While insubstantial under normal circumstances, the Hellhound is able to assume a corporeal form.

Superhuman Strength: Hellhounds are stronger than humans. They can easily knock down and overpower humans with little difficulty.

Superhuman Endurance: The Hellhound is incapable of being harmed or slain by most forms of conventional injury, including firearms or blades. Furthermore, the beast cannot feel the pain that would result from such attacks.

Hellfire Breathing: He is able to breathe hellfire in either form, burning his victims’ souls.

Fangs and Claws: The Hellhound is able to deliver a powerful bite and inflict scorching gashes with his black claws.

Probability Manipulation: The Hellhound is a harbinger of death, and those who are unfortunate enough to encounter the spirit are fated to die or meet with great misfortune within a year’s time. Looking into the Black Dog’s fiery eyes means certain death within a year, and attacking the Hellhound will bring about fatal consequences.

Fear Inducement: The spirit is able to induce feelings of overwhelming terror in a victim through his malicious glare alone, oftentimes causing total bodily paralysis (although this effect is only temporary).

Affliction: If attacked, the Hellhound is able to inflict savage, excruciatingly painful wounds, which are slow to heal (if the wounds heal at all).

Precognition: He seems able to predict the deaths of people, often appearing before someone dies and howling when someone is knocking at death’s door.

Intangibility: The Hellhound is seemingly impervious to physical attacks. Bullets, blades, and fists pass through the spirit’s ethereal body completely.

Superhuman Intelligence: He is exceptionally intelligent, able to anticipate the actions of eyewitnesses and counter them (in one instance, an attacker who tried to kick the Hellhound found his foot in the spirit’s mouth).

Teleportation: He is able to dematerialize and disappear at will, as well as render himself completely invisible. Travelers can still feel the Hellhound’s sinister presence, even if he has disappeared.

Although the Hellhound is seemingly unable to be physically harmed, he may in fact have a few vulnerabilities.

Iron: Most evil spirits cannot abide the presence or the touch of cold iron (that is, iron that has been forged without heat). Theoretically, a weapon forged of cold iron would be able to inflict great amounts of damage on the Hellhound.

Silver: Silver could possibly have the same effect (silver is yet another metal feared by supernatural evil).

Religious Icons: Since the Hellhound is said to be a servant of the Devil, blessed weapons and religious icon would hypothetically be able to harm or repel the Hellhound. However, as mentioned earlier, attacking the Hellhound could potentially have fatal consequences.

Salt: There are few methods of keeping the Hellhound at bay. Salt, reviled and hated by demons and spirits for its purity and supernatural properties, may keep the Hellhound away or prevent him from attacking (especially if the salt is exorcised and blessed by a priest).

Exorcism: He may be able to be exorcised, but this method is lengthy and complicated, and depending on the strength of the spirit, may or may not work at all.

Faith and Prayers: Like mentioned earlier, religious icons (such as the crucifix) may be able to keep the Hellhound at bay, as long as the strength of one’s faith is totally focused into the task.